A decent body filler?

[1Fine40]

Now that I have welded in new patch panels to replace the rusted out junk that was there, I have ground everything down as smooth as one can, but need to skim a coat of filler to smooth out any irregularities prior to priming and top coat....What is a good filler for this? Do any of the fillers not absorb water?? We are not talking about anything more than maybe .020 thick...just enough to smooth out the small dimples.

Any suggestions from the gurus on here??

Cheers!

 

[Texx]

According to my autobody paint shop dude, they all come out of the same drum. The finish, not the filler, makes it waterproof. "Absorbing water" is something of a myth, when properly applied it's as hard as a rock. "Bondo over rust makes for rusty bondo". Heard it a million times, and it's so true. Proper prep, a good primer, right number of color coats, and the filled area should be no more susceptible to water than any of the rest of it. I've used em all, some of the higher priced brands sand nicer and clog the paper a little less. Talk to your autobody paint guy, and go middle of the price range if you're worried about it.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Evercoat is a wonderful filler, and easier to work that Bondo brand ( goes on smoother, and is less heavy, so it's easier to work)

 

[1Fine40]

Thanks guys! I'll look into some Evercoat...

 

[thecrazygreek]

I found a great tip on using body filler.

To get the quality of the more expensive fillers, just add more epoxy to your mix. It will make it thinner, more easy to spread, and less porous.

I am talking about the fiberglass type fillers, and adding more fiberglass epoxy resin.

 

[okie]

Evercoat is a wonderful filler, and easier to work that Bondo brand ( goes on smoother, and is less heavy, so it's easier to work)

x2 evercoat is a great filler.

 

[Nomis]

x2 evercoat is a great filler.

X3
Had good luck with Evercoat Rage and Rage Gold - both sand easily enough. Get some Metal Glaze as well to get things really flat.

 

[osagecruiser]

first coat evercoat "kitty hair"...or fur....then a very thin coat of an evrcoat lightweight filler....makes for a very nice job...good luck

osagecruiser

 

[jeffj40]

I used straightline from por15. It had a lot less air entrapment than bondo and was easy to use. As far as slight imperfections or skim coats my auto paint rep told me to use a putty rather than a filler. I dont remember the brand of putty I used but I dont think a filler is what you need. It can be used after priming when you notice most of the problems that you didnt know you had. I used quite a bit on my rig...shhhh dont tell anyone

 

[1Fine40]

That's my color too!!! Now I have something to shoot for...lookin' schweet Jeff!

Cheers!

 

[Texx]

Any FJ with quarter panel replacement has that much, they just don't admit it.

 

[1Fine40]

Any FJ with quarter panel replacement has that much, they just don't admit it.

The body man's dirty little secret! Actually, just SOP I would assume.
I shot the repair panels with primer, and voila! I can see just where I need to skim coat the low spots..
Thanks for the advice...I'm not much for body work...I like to weld, but I hate to grind and sand!

Cheers!

 

[ampline]

i always use "all-metal" to fill any imperfections after patching panels... with this in mind it allows me to not have to over heat the metal with excess grinding... grind metal smooth,,, then fill imperfections with all- metal... sand... then skim with bondo... but the all metal is like an aluminum paste,,, has superior bonding with bare metal in comparison to bondo. great for filling holes,,, i warn ya,, it does not sand as well as bondo.. so use sparingly.. thats my two cents,,, by the way,, the 40 looks good.

 

[1Fine40]

i always use "all-metal" to fill any imperfections after patching panels... with this in mind it allows me to not have to over heat the metal with excess grinding... grind metal smooth,,, then fill imperfections with all- metal... sand... then skim with bondo... but the all metal is like an aluminum paste,,, has superior bonding with bare metal in comparison to bondo. great for filling holes,,, i warn ya,, it does not sand as well as bondo.. so use sparingly.. thats my two cents,,, by the way,, the 40 looks good.

What is "all-metal"??

Cheers!

 

[ampline]

What is "all-metal"??

Cheers!

all metal is a metal filler,, works like bondo,, but is formulated for use on bare metal. it looks like aluminum paste,, you mix with a hardner just like bondo,, and works great for filling holes, and around patch panels. i highly recommend it... especially in the rust belt. it can be picked up at any auto store that has a paint and body section.... the name of it is "all-metal"

 

[1Fine40]

Gracias! This may come in handy for a few other spots on the rig!

Cheers!